Remember the human toll before drinking and driving (AUDIO)

A new motivation is being used to try to get people who drink this Thanksgiving holiday weekend to not get behind the wheel.

Drinking and driving could land you in jail or cost you plenty in fines. If that isn’t enough to encourage you to think before you drink then plan to drive, state officials offer another bit of motivation: remember the human toll of impaired driving.

“My choice tonight might make the difference between someone else living a full life, losing their life or having it shortened,” says Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety chairwoman Leanna Depue.

Depue says the decision to drink and drive isn’t a private one.

“And we do know that even though a lot of people say, ‘Well, my decision to drink and drive only involves me,’ that’s really not the case. Thirty-one percent of those that are killed are individuals that are just innocent victims,” “And so we know that both those that choose to drink and drive and even drinking and being a pedestrian really increases the risk of hurting yourself and others.”

A few more statistics: last year, 88 people died on Missouri roadways between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 21 died in crashes in which alcohol was involved.

The coalition urges those who plan to drink, to plan on calling a cab or designating a friend as a sober chauffeur.